Poor state of S&T in Pakistan

by Techno Tee

OMG, I’m completely feed up. I was looking for Pakistan Science Club and it took me hours to find its site (not because of my incompetency but due to appearance it have).

You must be surprized that a country having nuclear power, world best scientists like, and many more as its assets and with a historic background in S&T of its ancestors (as Muslim) don’t have any proper website of its national science club.

In developed countries and even in many developing countries science clubs have been playing a key role in many places due to their exemplary work and commitment of their members towards their chosen causes. In such countries, several national and international organizations have their science clubs across their country. Even schools and colleges have their own clubs and under the government supervision different exhibitions and fairs take place where they exhibit their expertise.

The purpose of those science expos/fairs is to provide opportunity to mix students, companies, acdademic institutions, and the general public to explore possibilities that involve S&T in unique ways.

Unfortunately, now a days, in our country there are no such arrangements of these types of exhibitions. But as I flash back in early 80's there was a regular inter-school science exhibition in Karachi and most of the government or private sector schools feel proud to attend that exhibition. (By the way I also participated and won 2nd position title at All Karachi Science Exhibition Award '82).

Just like other fields, our government have different plans to project S&T in country but nothing is on practical grounds. As per functions of Pakistan Science Foundation listed on its home page www.psf.gov.pk

"The Foundation functions as a financing agency for the establishment of comprehensive scientific and technological information dissemination centers, promotion of basic and fundamental research in the universities and other institutions/ centers, establishment of science centers, clubs, museums, herbaria and planetaria, promotion of scientific societies, organization of periodical science conferences, symposia and seminars, exchange of visits of scientists and technologists with other countries and grant of awards, prizes and fellowships to individuals engaged in developing processes of consequence to the economy of the country."

But where is the truth. The only S&T activity updated on PSF site is the celebration of World Science Day which was on November 10, 2008 and the only S&T expo was held in 2007.

With these activities one can decide her/him self that where we stand in S&T.